Roads Near Earthquake Area Closed

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Roads Near Earthquake Area Closed

The Icelandic Road Administration has closed some highland roads close to Herðubreið and Askja and has issued a map that shows which roads are closed in light of a possible eruption in Bárðarbunga volcano, Northeast Iceland.

Seismic activity in the area continues. Since midnight yesterday the Iceland Met Office has registered more than 800 earthquakes, the biggest about 4.5 in magnitude, visir.is reports.

The river Jökulsá á Fjöllum might flood on a scale that could change the shape of the mighty Dettifoss waterfall and wipe out the roads and bridges in its path, visir.is reports. The famous natural wonders Ásbyrgi and Hljóðaklettar were formed in a previous flood of an immense magnitude.

Should an eruption occur, the flood would take about ten hours after an eruption starts to reach the sea.